Highlander: There Can Be Only One!

I've heard they've actually used parallel universes on the series, so it's probably true.

 

The first tv series is supposed to be a parallel universe.
Highlander:The Raven is a spin-off of the TV show, but I think it's supposed to be the same universe as the TV show.
Highlander:The Animated Series has both Connor and Ramierez in it, so that has to be a different parallel universe.
Highlander:Quest of Vengence is yet another universe.

 

Yep..

Raven is set in the same universe as the main television series.

 

Forgive Us Our Trespasses
So, Amanda and Methos think MacLeod isn't going to try his best to win a duel because he feels guilty. Back after the 1745 Uprising, Duncan decided to kill the English lord who ordered British troops (and German mercenaries) to keep killing civilians to make sure the Scots stayed subdued. The Lord's adopted kin catches up with MacLeod 250 years later wanting revenge. Gee, if I've lived 400 years by taking heads and killing people, why would I let someone wanting revenge for something make me want to fight any less hard to stay alive?
OK episode, but not great. Lots of flashback and recycled footage.
6.5/10

Modern Prometheus
Lord Byron is alive and well and now a rock star and music mogel. And just as much the arrogant irresponsible (explitive) jerk he was back then.
Unfortunately, NetFlix' instant download service isn't perfect, and only 24 of the 48 minute episode is up. I have filed a report with them on this (and the other problems I've come across)
With 1/2 the episode missing, I cannot fairly comment on the overall quality of the episodes.

Archangel
So, imagine a combination of Millenium hysteria and Xerathustrian demons. This is the season 5 cliffhanger. Stan Kirsh makes the best decision of his acting career by having his character killed off so he can leave the series. As has happened oh-so-often before, the death is accompanied by a hackneyed, cliche'd, montage memorial
Big, long, drawn out fight sequence, once again all in the dark with too much black.
6/10

This brings me to the end of Season 5. Aside from some minor curiousity about certain episodes, I cannot, at this time, bring myself to watch the resoof this series that went from good, to great, to garbage. Therefore, I shall move on to the next stage: Highlander:The Animated Series, which was significantly better than seasons 4 and 5 of the TV show were. Average quality of the episodes was 5.53/10--a sure sign that something has gone horriblly, horiblly wrong.

 

I just found out that Season 6 was only 13 episodes. Maybe I'll finish it off anyway, just for the sake of completeness. And so no one else has to suffer.

 

OK, So, season 6. It's a short season, and all I've read suggests that it's the worst one, since the people in charge were supposedly using it to test out ideas and casting for Highlander:The Raven. Just for the sake of completeness (and because it's hard not to look at a train wreck while it's happening), here we go.

Avatar
Continues the story of the season5 cliffhanger. MacLeod has spent the last year (that's YEAR) morning and working out on holy ground to prepare himself for battle with a Zerothustrian demon. Dawson and Methos had to bury Richie without Duncan. MacLeod figures he's ready. Demon runs around causing pretty much random mischeif. Duncan looks for the last clue on how to fight the demon. Demon spends a lot of time baiting him.
The episode feels padded and overdone with pointless distractions. Ironic, given that MacLeod has most of the possessions on the barge (still has it, even though it's been sold several times) put into storage for 50 years.
6/10

Armageddon
MacLeod continues to hunt for how to defeat the demon. Demon tempts Joe Dawson with new legs and tries to bait a priest into suicide. MacLeod tells about meeting the last Immortal to fight the demon 1000 years ago, and flashback to watch them fight--other Immortal throws the fight and forces MacLeod to take his head.
Come the actual conflict, and the answer is to not fight. Wow. 3 episodes of build up, and the answer to facing a demon ithat thrives on hate and violence is to not fight, to let go of hate, and accept the parts of you that are evil. Wow. what a message. what a spectacular letdown for the first and only 3-part story. And they felt the need to inflate and pad it out. Someone got religion and wanted to corrupt Highlander with it? Worse still, Richie suggests that the reason for Immortals is to be a champoin against the demon in his last episode, and everyone scoffs. During these two episodes, it seems clear that both MacLeod and Dawson have accepted this idea as cannon. Ug.
4/10

Sins of the Father
I was going to stop with Armageddon, but I was that Ian Richardson was in this one, and had to see it. What did they do with this amazingly gifted and talented actor? They made him a petty little boy who never really grew up, and is till bitter about events of WWII. (OK, yes he suffered attrociously, but his main goal in life has been the rrecovery of money stored in foreign banks. And he is saddled with the most rediculous accent. To see what a truly talented actor this guy was, watch "The House of Cards" Trilogy. Testing out first fem actor for The Raven.
4/10

 

Season 6 adds Amanda and Methos to the opening credits. While Methos appeared in the first episode, he hasn't been seen since, and Amanda hasn't shown up by episode 6 of 13.
MacLeod trimmed his hair in Avatar to a light-Elvis pompadour. Guess the pony-tail went out of fashion and was interfering with his ability to get work.

Diplomatic Immunity
GIotW is an immortal who using his ability to die and a sidekick accomplice to con the wealthy into buying the accomplice's silence for accidentally killing her "poor, poor, husband". All fine and good until one of them marks decides that rather than pay he can kill the only other witness. GIotW wants revenge and kills the father(thinking that he was the murderer). Then MacLeod points out that it was the son that killed his girl, so he decides to kill the son.
MacLeod finally picks up his sword for the first time since becoming the pacifist demon fighter. Unfortunately he wusses out when it comes to killing. Alex Desni___??? who later became Wesley Whindam-Price on Buffy and Angel plays the son.
6/10

Patient Number 7
Auditioning for The Raven this week is an Immortal with amniesia from the trauma of watching her lover shot and killed by the GIotW and his minions. MacLeod helps her get her memmory back after she escapes from a mental institution. She hunts down and kills him. We get to see the start of the Quickening,but then it cuts away. Maybe she couldn't pull it off, or they'd used up their budget.
5/10

Black Tower
He was a spoiled brat in the 1600s, and he is now. GIotW has turned his office building into an elaborate trap for MacLeod, with hodgepodge mercenaries traking him down as he tries to rescue the Guest Bimbo of the week.
Somehow, after fighting through all the cannon fodder, Macleod draws his iconic Katana from nowhere. No, call me silly, but wouldn't it have been far easier for him to have used this from the BEGINNING? Certainly much easier than rigging chemical explosives and electroshock boobytraps. But no, I guess that would have been too easy.
MacLeod finally grows a pair and takes a head. as GIotW collapses, the camera zooms in on his decending crotch. why? let me rephrase: WHY???? granted, in the real world he'd have been soiling himself after losing his head (and I'm glad they didn't show that, so what was the point? At least they seem to have the general idea of GIotW and KILLING back into the stories.

 

Unusual Suspects
This week's annoying comedy theme: period murder mystery. All the annoying conventions of bad immitations of Agatha Christie, without the redeaming aspects.
I'll save you the trouble: the butler dies, so he didn't do it. In fact, all the male characters die. So does the maid. That leaves Mrs Fitzcairn. The whole episode is to find out who murdered Fitzcairn so he can get them punished and reclaim his money. And it all comes to an end the day of the Great Stock Market Crash that began the depression. weeeeee. what excitement.
3/10

Justice
The last of the attrocious 6: the six episodes written by Sasha Reins and Michael O'Mahoney. Yep. Pretty bad. GIotW is the bimbo auditioning for a shot at The Raven. Is she any good? Well, she's saddled with this script, so we may never know. One of the worst and most improbablle seduction scenes, followed by softie kleenex porn! Wow, undulating sheets and flesh, with bad porn music. See, if a woman is upset, all you need to do is give her really good rogering, and her soul will heal. All without a Quickening. One of the most Misogynistic stories Highlander has ever done.
One point I'd like to make. GIotW shoots a crossbow at MacLeod. Duncan dives to his right. The bolt hits him in the right shoulder. That's right, Duncan dove INTO the path of a crossbow bolt, even though there was noone behind him to protect. It would have been far easier to bat the bolt aside with the Katana in hand, or simply not to move because GIotW is such a lousy shot.
1/10

Deadly Exposure
Episode opens in a nightclub in Florida. Opening act is a comedian who's material is so pathetic and dated (and woman hating), that I'm surprised GIotW didn't start off by shooting him. Or at least beating the snot out of him. And pounding anyone who actually thought he was funny.
Guest Immortal of the Week is another auditioning for The Raven. And she has not chance. Sorry, not enough presence or talent to be able to hold together a single episode, much less a series. No Quickening. Not much point. Failed experiment.
4/10

Still no sign of Amanda. Methos has been AWOL since ep 1. Yet they are both in the opening credits. Even Joe Dawson hasn't been seen in the last 5 or 6...

 

Two of Hearts
Claudia Christian is GIotW, and so far the best audition piece for The Raven. I think they actually called her Raven at some point as a nickname or codename. Of all the tryouts, this one is the best, both for script elements and actors. Evil Immortal of the Week is mildly interesting--a con artist who runs charity scams to get millions for needy causes--himself and his ego. (of course, that I personally view most charities as scams made that a little more fun to see.
And for the first time, someone who has supposedly been around since the crusades actually uses a crusader fighting style, with sword and shield! The fight begins late afternoon, goes to commercial break, and comes back in full dark night. ??? That was a bit sloppy. Have to disguise the sloppy choreography again.
The opening bit is a rescue-the-hostage mission. Now, if I'm going to break into an abandoned factory of some kind, and try to use stealth to pick off the guards one at a time, and remaining undetected is a factor, I think I might invest in... I don't know... a SILENCER? Silly me. Just can't resist nitpicking.
"You've heard of the Karma Sutra?"
"You read it?"
"I modelled for it!"
I believe (but have nothing to offer to substantiate) that Claudia might have been offered the role (she had just finished Babylon5, so would have been available) but (wisely) turned it down. A lot of elements from this episode do end up in The Raven.
7/10

Indescretions.
Joe Dawson and Methos team up on their own to rescue Joe's daughter (previously unacknowledged) from GIotW. It's a buddy-buddy cop plot. They start to argue, learn about each other, and save each other's lives, kiss and make up. With a beheading thrown in.
Blech.
5/10

 

A version of the script for the new movie reboot has leaked. One review/commentary can be foundhere. I cannot comment on the accuracy. Supposedly someone official has said "hey, it was only a rough draft", giving it simmilar standing as the Superman script with polar bears defending the Fortress of Solitude.
Regardless, if only 1 aspect is true, it is enough to completely torpedo any hope (for me) that a good movie coming out of this. I leave the rest to you to decide for yourselves.

 

They get a big no thanks from me.

 

To Be
Part one of the two-part series end. Another IRA immortal (this is what, the 3rd?) wants to get even with MacLeod for sending him to prison, so he and his flunkies kidnap Amanda and Dawson. GIofW says that if he dies, they'll be dead before his head hits the ground. Methos jumps in, changing the balance. Duncan is shot dead and falls onto a train car. Queue eary music as mystic train starts. Hugh Fitzcairn wake MacLeod up and begins the silliness.
Most people compare these stories to "It's a Wonderful Life." I see it more as "Do Immortals Dream of Electric Sheep." I mean, they're dead, but they'll be coming back to life as soon as most of the damage heals. So... Do they dream when they're dead?
4.5/10

Not To Be
Concluding the "What if MacLeod Never Existed" story. It's there. MacLeod, after this spiritual experience, realizes his life has made a difference in others, fights back, kills GIotW, and they all live happily ever after, with an annoying flashback musical montage.
Quickening has a nice fog effect, but I guess all the budget went to hiring the actors to come back, because the lightning looks really week and chincy. And, to show how much MacLeod has been affected by his spiritual daydream, they put "Amazing Grace" as the background music. I've mentioned before that I hate that song. It isn't even Scotish--just that the only way it can be made palatable is by playing it on bagpipes--prefferablly a dozen or more. Sure, it was used in Highlander 2, but this series is supposed to 1)be an alternate reality and 2)do you really want to use an almost universally hated sequel for your source material/justification? After the Quickening, MacLeod says "Never again" (like that's supposed to mean something?) and sets up the music montage to Lorena McKennit's 'Port More', which then flashes through the most popular scenes and characters. I suppose it's remotely appropriate, given that the original movie was directed by someone who previously had only done Music Videos, but it seems a wet, naff way to end the show.
These last two episodes use an awful lot of flashbacks and recycled footage--I'd say at least 15 minutes of it is lifted from previous episodes. Saves on costs I guess.

Amanda finally shows up! She's in 2 of 13 episodes! TWO!!! That's guest star mention, not openning credits feature. That's like Buffy's mother in season 2: she's in more episodes than Angel, but only a Guest star, while he's in the opening credits--totally wrong and unjustified. But I digress.
4.5/10

Oh, let's give Black Tower a 6/10

Total rating for Season Six: 60/130 or an average of 4.6/10. I think that comes off about the same (maybe even slightly better) than Season 5. Sure, the series was mostly trying to figure out who and what might work for The Raven, but maybe that experimenting made it more interesting. Or maybe it was that this was only a 1/2 season instead of a full one.

Duncan MacLeod: Hypocrit. I can't count how many times Duncan has said one thing and done the opposite. One of the worst transgressions has to be when Richie was thinking of adopting a former girlfriend and her child as his own, and MacLeod bullies him out of it. Oh, because he didn't want a repeat of the massacre at the Souix camp to happen to Richie. So... what was he doing with Tessa for all those years? Not like he did a very good job of keeping her safe or protecting her. And when Ann is pregnant, does he send her away? NO! "Are you OK? It's not your kid--you don't have any obligation to her or me." "It's not that. It's an unexpected opportunity--One I thought I'd never have." Again, what about the little boy in the Souix village? He'd practically adopted him. Granted, some of this is simply the difference in writers over the course of 6 years (well 5) not having written everything out for 112 episodes. Inconsistancies are bound to creep in. Just seems a little sloppy here. Anyone else got pet peeves?

Up next: Highlander:Quest of Vengence.

 

Highlander: The Search for Vengence
Or, "Vampire Hunter D retooled". Same creative team that made VHD:Bloodlust and Ninja Scroll.. Some of the art and scenery is very beautiful. Anime Highlander. However...

The movie is an unimpressive mongrel. Just a bunch of fan-boy drool. Simply put, they combined Highlander with Vampire Hunter D and that old teenager classic, Heavy Metal. If that sounds good to you, by all means rent the movie. I got bored after about 30 minutes (somewhere after Colin is being led around the old subway system/town to the prostitute's hous). Oh, of course, the prostitute has a heart of gold. When the dirty disk got stuck, turned it off. Oh, lots of nudity and mating scenes. And Swearing. Not for kiddies--more for teens and college boys.

The "plot" summary: Colin MacLeod is out to avenge himself and his village on the roman general who killed them all (and thus immortalized Colin). He waits until modern civilization has collaped, and Marcus Octavius is the new ruler of the last city to survive.
Anime conventions: Colin is Vampire Hunter D. Instead of his hand talking to him, there's a little cricket/firefly thing that's his old Druid teacher. The fighting style is VHD. Enemies have bizzare gimicks, including swords with 12 inch wide blades.
The music is lame electric guitar riffs.
the Quickenings are... meh.
The villain, so so evil genius who has latched onto evey evil movement since the fall of Rome.
The plot: weak
The acting: feeble bordering on incompetent
The swordfighting: unimpressive--makes The Animated Series swordfighting look interesting.
The pacing: boring beyond belief
Result: I couldn't finish watching it.

2/10
Slightly better than, say, a Sasha Reins/Michael O'Mahoney script.

 

There's no blood.
Of the Highlander formats, only the first movie really had blood. The battle between the MacLeods and the Fraisers, the fight between Connor and Faziel, and the fight between Kurgan and Castigier.
In the 6 seasons of the TV show, there are only about 5 instances where blood is really visible on blades that are used for decapitation! and 2 of them are dead bodies sinking into water with a cloud starting to form.

Think about this. The human body has about 2 gallons of blood in it. (Someone can pipe in with the exact technical average). Imagine taking a gallon of milk and pouring it out onto a parking lot. Or actually do it. That's the size of mess that would spread unchecked over a fairly short time. (Yes, the viscosity is different, and a whole bunch of other factors, that's why I said 1 gallon of milk)

Duncan walks in on numerous occasions, after being sliced to ribbons, without any blood on his clothes. His sweater has been sliced clean through in several locations, including 1/2 his arm and across his right chest. No Blood!!! No stain. Nothing. Aside from the cuts, his light grey sweater was only slightly dirty.
OK, it's TV, so it has to be PG to PG13, but this is really being wussy and illogical.

Can't comment on The Raven.
Only blood I remember seeing in The Animated Series was when Quentin MacLeod grazed his sister with a 50 caliber bullet (this way she got hurt and he learned that guns were BAD things to have).

 

Highlander:The Animated Series
Quentin MacLeod is an elf. He's immortal, a child (forever 15!), has green eyes, wears a green outfit, has pale skin, shock red hair, slightly pointy ears, a thin agile build, and uses a childish boomerang weapon.
Episode1: The Last of the MacLeods
700 years after "The Great Catastrophe", Quentin Dundee (about 15) is playing with his younger sister (about 9) by a waterfall when Kortan the Evil Overlord's Hunters head for The Highlands to fetch new slaves to work in the generator rooms of the Capital City of Magonda. The Hunters lead by their General Arak capture most of the Dundee clan, except for Quentin and his unnamed mother. The mother is mortally wounded (off-screen) while Quentin is killed. General Arak's super-wide bladed sword swings down, fade to black/commercial break. Quentin wakes up, his mother tells him his real name is MacLeod, and she dies. Don Vinccentee Mario Ramierez shows up and starts to tell Quentin about his destiny and Immortals and such, but does so in the most obtuse and stupid manner possible. Quentin insists on freeing the Dundees from slavery. They go to Jettitor Mangus, who designed Magonda, who then shows them a way to sneak in. Kortan senses their arrival and goes to kill Quentin, but Mangus interfere's and Quentin, Ramierez, and the Dundee's escape. Kortan killes Mangus (offscreen). Blue lightning/explosions for Quickening.
The Great Lesson of the Week: If you belief in something, believe in it all the way up to the end. Um, except, Mangus supposedly believed in giving up violence in order to rebuild society, and he took up the sword to fight Kortan in violation of his oath. So, how does that work exactly?


So this episode is designed to tell all the backstories and information for the series, but doesn't actually do so. So, if you're a kid and haven't seen the Highlander movies or TV show, this cartoon makes no sense. It doesn't explain beheadings, holy ground, or even the immortality. It barely touches on The Buzz of another immortal being present. Things sort of happen, and if you know what it is, you can play along. If you don't know about the Highlander world, there's nothing here to explain it.
Dumb stuff:

So, 700 years after "The Great Catastrophe", the city of Mogonda still has primitive electricity and functioning tanks. Um, how do those tanks steer with only one tread track? Entirely new life-forms have evolved, including ostrich lizard hybrids and 6-legged dogs.
Ramierez says "Fight like a Highlander" and throws Quentin a Katana.
The Jettitor's swore an oath to abandon The Game and fighting for the prize, yet both Ramierez and Mangus were prepared to fight Kortan.
Why didn't Kortan just kill the Jettitors when they left the hill? The hill itself might have been Holy Ground, but they had to leave sooner or later.
Kortan tells Maloy to unlock his armor, but Maloy only unlocks the sword--Kortan is already wearing his armor.
The Buzz is a headache in this episode, but later becomes flashing lights of the gems everyone is wearing. Why did Quentin wear a gem before becoming immortal?
Quentin's "mother" turns black as she dies. Probablly the only on-screen death in the entire series. It's ok though--she was old.
Araks eye alternates between being black with a white iris and white with a black iris.
Quentin smiles while telling his syster Clyde that their mother is dead.
Hunter 417 appears as 5 different people/locations.
Hunter 407 appears once.
Mangus killed off-screen after violating his oath not to fight.

 

Episode 2: Taste of Betrayal
First episode televised.
Ramierez takes Quentin to meet Stevenson, an engineer who built a hydro-electric generator dam. When the catastrophe struck, Stevenson turned the dam into a library. They arrive, have a meal, and pass out from being poisoned. General Arak has kidnapped Stevenson and forced his followers to set a trap for Quentin & co. Quentin is taken to Magonda (again), while Clyde and Ramierez are left in a cell. Ramierez somehow turns bread balls into explosives and they escape. And it turns out Stevenson wasn't captured or kidnapped, but rather turned himself over to Kortan. He figured that his library would become the repository for all knowledge, and society could rebuild from that, so Quentin wasn't needed, but in order for the library to become the be-all/end-all, Stevenson had to remain immortal. Ramierez plants a bomb, rescues Quentin, and leaves Stevenson to Kortan. Kortan kills Stevenson offscreen. Ramierez hands Quentin the book of the complete plans to Magonda to learn by reading.

Dumb stuff:
Turning a dam into a library? Makes perfect sense. After all, you wouldn't want to fix the dam and be able to provide electricity to the survivors--why, then you might be competing with Magonda.And wet, dank environments are so good for books.
Um, where to the blank books that the scribes are working on come from?
So, why hasn't Stevenson done more to rebuild society with his super library? When was he planning on getting started?
Kortan kills Stevenson by swinging his sword in a circle--how does that work exactly?
Gualt the dog is imprisoned by having a leash chain put around his neck. The dog has hands. Can't it unto the bold by itself?
Ramierez is served soup, but picks up a chicken leg. ???
How was Quentin poinsoned/drugged, when he wasn't given any food?
Why does Clyde recover first? Ramierez has a much higher body mass for the food consumed, and he's an immortal.
So, now we have 2 Jettitors who have had full, detailed knowledge of Magonda. Doesn't that seem a little sloppy for Kortan?
Ramierez turns bread rolls into explosives. ??? HOW???
Why was there no Buzz? All immortals are pretty much surprized to meet each other.
Hunter 417: shows up 3 different times as different Hunters.
407 appears 3 times, once side by side with himself, only to have one of him transform into a 417
Other Hunters: 401, 467
Jettitors: OK, so there are 14 figures standing on the hill: ramierez, Magnus (dead), Stevenson(dead)
Immortals: Quentin, Kortan

 

Ep 3: Melvyn the Magnificent

Ramierez takes Quentin to find Errol, a geologist, only to find Melvyn the Magnificent has claimed the territory and Errol is nowhere to be found. Melvyn is a deluded psycho who thinks he is an immortal and after capturing Quentin and Ramierez, takes the MacLeod sword to go challenge Kortan. Ramierez and Quentin sneak into Moganda to stop him and recover the sword. On finding his daughter is alive after all, Melvyn recovers from his breakdown, and agrees to lead the way to Errol's new hideout.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?)
There were only 14 on the Hill of Oaths.

Hunters: 407 and 417. 417 appears beside himself. Twice!
Hunters armed with Lasers!

Dumb Stuff:
A coal mine can produce oil?
Ramierez sets Quentin on fire!
Explosives are unfamiliar concepts?
A bag explosive is Dynamite? Melvyn throws 2 real sticks of Dynamite a few minutes later.
Why are the miners speaking with British Courtier/Sycophant accents?
It only takes a hand-sized bomb to blow down the Gates fo Moganda and cripple the generator?
The girl in the city throws one rope and swings across the gap. Then Ramierez swings across on a rope. Then Quentin swings across on another rope. ??? Three for one toss?
The girl drops a blast door wall between Kortan and Quentin. The wall is only about 10 feet tall, and the hall is at least 4 stories. What possible use could this blast wass serve aside from plot device?
Hey, we have The Buzz this week!
And 5 flashbacks, including two to "Last of the MacLeods, which hadn't been aired on TV yet!
So, where is Gualt while Clyde, Ramierez, and Quentin go underground? Is he left behind with the mounts? No. Even though he wasn't there during the explosion/cave-in, he digs himself out and opens the prizon cell. Eventually. After trying to dig under the door. With quentin yelling at him to just lift the bar.
Gualt: looks like a dog, sounds like a chimp, and dumber than a stone.

 

General notes on the Animated Series:
Animation is on par with Thundar the Barbarian, stories that make He-Man seem intellectual, and what this has to do with the Highlander conceived by Gregory Widen is beyond me. Very preachy and moralistic stories about topics like "Nature is good" "Technology is bad" "Be nice to Mother Earth" and "Guns are bad". Yes, one episode is about how bad and dangerous guns are. Good thing all the villains with their tanks, laser cannons, and swords don't know anything about chemically-propelled projectiles. Every week, Quentin MacCleud breaks into the overlord's fortress. Reasons range from rescuing hostages, being captured and escaping, to the dog needs a flea-bath. Guard #417 is the real star of the show. He's in nearly every episode. Even more than enforcer #471. I'm not sure which is more sachrine cute and disgusting: Quentin's sister, or her hexapodial dog. Why do all Ramirez's speak with scottish accents, even though the Scottish Clansmen are inconsistently wavering between Scots and American? "Oi'm a Schpanisch Grahndee." Yeah, but you're no Sean Connery. It is moderately better than the Anime Movie, in that you can, if you're into torture, sit through the entire series.

 

Ep 4: The Last Weapon

The Dundees are migrating to a new area to escape Kortan's Hunters when they are ambushed by bundits armed with clubs and a Browning Automatic Riffle. Ramierez panicks, because all guns were supposedly destroyed centuries ago. They track the bandits back to a beached Aircraft Carrier. Quentin gets hold of the BAR and goes power mad. When he accidentally shoots Clyde, he comes to his senses, realizes guns are bad, and throws the gun in the lake.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?)
No new Jettitors appear or are mentioned. No mention of whether or not Errol was located to pass on his knowledge

Introduced recurring elements: Dundee migration. Gorans towing blimps loaded with cargo. Beached aircraft carrier wreckage.
Hunters: No Hunters or Mogondans appear in this episode

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), Ostrich Lizard mounts (which make noises like Taun-Tauns), 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids that act as beasts of burden, crocodile mounts.

Dumb Stuff:
The Dundees wear kits and pants at the same time.
Dundees' accents are inconsistant.
Quentin, Ramierez, and Clyde have 2 ostrich mounts between them. Ramierez rides off on one, then a few minutes later, Clyde and Quentin catch up to him, each riding an Ostrich.
Basic Surgery is considered 'magic'
The bandits dress and look like 80's biker gan rejects from MadMax movies.
Flashback to WWII shows a plane strfing 3 sondiers. 2 are hit by bullets and fall, but neither bleeds.


Now, let's talk about this gun, which is the key message of this episode. It has no recoil. Ma-Har the gand leader and Quentin both wield it without bracing or using a trypod, or anything else. There's no ammo belt or box, but it never seems to run out of bullets. Why are there no guns in the world? Because the Jettitors got rid of them centuries ago? How? Kortan has the industrial services and manufacturing base of an entire city behind him. He could arm his men with riffles, but instead gives them lasers, flame throwers, bolt-casters, and swords. Everyone knows lasers are much cheaper and easier to build, and they don't run out of ammo. Right? The big message is that men armed with guns get drunk with power, which turns them into tyrants. It's a giant phalic prop/crutch. Quentin shoots a few rounds into a plane wreck, and it explodes. Quentin shoots bullets at the feet of bandits, and none of the bullets riccochet into the bandits legs crippling them for life or severing bone, so all 3-5 of them can jump off the deck of an air craft carrier , fall 90 feet, and somehow not die from the impact. Quntin is a boy poined with testosterone, and his phallic prop is waving all over the place. It isn't until he brushes it by his under-age sister that he comes to his senses and rejects guns. This line of 'logic' is the sort of thing that only an utter quack could come up with. Guns=>power=>Tyrany. Whoever wrote this episode should be ashamed. OK, maybe they're trying to teach children that guns are dangerous and not toys, but this script was both patronizing and stupid.


Ep 5: The Suspended Village

Major Arak s dueling with Major Gorth over some trivial matter when Malone, the court Jester decids to propose a solution: each Major must choose a slave to fight to the death for him in the arena. Gorth chooses a beefy musculare meatsack with no neck, while Arak captures the son of some famous fighter and orders him to come fight in the areana or his son will. The Fatherr gets injured while rescuing Quentin, so Quentin feels obligated to take his place and fight for the boy. Mainly he just wants to prove to Olak the meterologist Jettitor he isn't a coward. Quentin wins the duel, and Rameirez arescues Quentin and the boy. Olak is impressed and passes his knowledge to Quentin.

The parallel at the beginnin of Ramierez training Quentin and Arak afighting Gorth is actually kind of nice.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (becomes mortal)

Introduced recurring elements: First onscreen passing of

 

Ep 6: Exodus

Quentin & friends are running from pursuiting Hunters when the find an island of women. The islanders have built a ship to sail beyond Kortan's reach, but can't finish it. Ramierez teaches them to make a rudder, and the sail away.

The islanders men and sons were all kidnapped by Major Arak last time he was here, but there is one boy in the village who is about 9. So, where did the other children younger than he come from? He's going to be very busy when he gets older. One of the women tries to betray Quentin and Ramierez in exchange for the return of her husband and son. Arak agrees, but naturally goes back on his word.
Quentin rescues the traitor, the boy, and an old woman from Arak. The traitor, when she can't reach the rope, jumps the bridge and falls. Quentin screams in protest, but everyone runs back to the ship, and Arak shakes his fist at them as they sail off.
The Island is protected by a drawbridge. All it takes to protect them from Kortan is a simple bridge. Wow. Some evil overlord.
The island women refer to themselves as "Carry-Olans" based on the crude map, and my knowledge of 4th grade geography, it looks like their planned escape is to leave from Carolina, and sail to South America.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (passed knowledge)

Introduced recurring elements: nothing

Hunters: 417 and 407. In one scene, a 407 turns into a 417. In another, two 407s stand side by side.

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), Ostrich Lizard mounts, 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids, "Anomas' giant ants.

Dumb Stuff
Firstly, this episode has very, very sloppy animation, even for this series. Not only is the lip-synch way off, but the animation of the ostrich-lizards outrunning the Hunter's Tanks looks very jerky and sloppy.

Quentin screams "NOOOoooooooooooooh" as the woman jumps from the bridge. Um, there's water under that bridge. Couldn't they just rescue her from the beach? You know, like Ramierez, Clyde, and Quentin were earlier in the episode?

Quentin punches a Hunter in the face. With his bare hand. While the Hunter is wearing a helmet!

The hunters devise a plan to get past the bridge by building a makeshift bridge of planks. The Heroes run around, mess with machinery, all urgent and all, rather than go to the top of the slope, and push the board aside. Much more dramatic for Quentin to blunt and cause irreparable damage to the Sword of the MacLeods--the weapon that is his raison'de'tra--by using it to cut a chain.

So, these Carry-Olans have an ancient history of building ships. They've been practicing their trade since before the Catastrophe. They work from scale models. Amazing craftsmanship, but none of them could figure out how to build a rudder to steer the ship? They couldn't find it anywhere in the old plans, and the knowledge was lost and forgotten? How dumb are these 'brilliant' people? Even if you can't figure out the exact old system, they should have been able to think of something.

 

Ep 7: The History Lesson.

So, Kortan sends Hunters to attack Lonzelie, the History Buff Gettator, at the same time that Ramierez takes Quentin to get the benefit of history. Quentin uses a move he saw Ramierez use to convence Lonzelie to Share the Knowledge.

At some point, the heros acquired a 3rd Ostrich Lizard Mount.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (passed knowledge), Lonzeley (becomes Mortal)

Introduced recurring elements: nothing

Hunters: 41 the tank driver, 3 #417 side by side, 407

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), Ostrich Lizard mounts, 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids, "Anomas' giant ants.

Dumb Stuff:
No explanation of how they got from the Carry-Olan's ship at the end of the last episode back to the range of Kortan's empire.
Malone somehow knows that Ramierez is a history buff.
Kortan and Ramierez somehow both decide to deal with Lonzeley at the same time.
Lonzeley has a Citiday. Why didn't Kortan hunt and kill him centuries ago. Ho, Lonzelie bested him in combat, but didn't take his head because of the Oath. So, why didn't Kortan just send tanks to destroy the citidel, like he finally does this episode?
When Quentin and Ramierez feel the Buzz, Clyde acts like she's never seen it before. It certainly seems to be much more intense that ever before.
The tanks are blocked by a ditch only about 3 feet across. They shouldn't even have to slow down to blaze across that. Somehow it is enough to slow them down so they have to take a switchback path that leads right to the main gates.
So glad that there are no guns or bullets left in the world. Much better to have catapults hurl stones and flaming arrows up the parapets.
Arak is shocked by the Faux-Quickening, which is so immense that it destroys all the delicate electronics and mechanisms in his tanks. Kortan has had at least two REAL quickenings in the middle of his city with no appearent ill effects. Arak acts like he's never seen anything like this before.
Kortan wiped all the secrets of history from everyone's memmory? Is he some kind of psychic? What about the books Mangus had in his library? Wouldn't they have the "Secrets of History" in print?

 

Ep 8: The Cursed
The Dundees travel through a swamp and contract Malaria. Quentin panics and demands Ramierez help them. Ramierez takes him to see Ilrick, Gettator of Medicine. Arak arrives and fails to capture anyone, even with a spy helping him.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (passed knowledge), Lonzeley (passed knowledge), Ilrick (becomes mortal)

"Excellent Work Arak. You fail Brilliantly every time!"
Great quote, makes up for most of the stupid stuff in the episode.

Introduced recurring elements: Flashing Gems along with The Buzz
So, what highlands is Quentin from, exactly? They appear to be wandering around North America still, and they haven't left their original continent. I'm not aware of any highlands of Canada or New York, but then, geography was never my thing.
We get to see the politics of Moganda at work. Arak's continued failures (not much better than Kortan did himself by the way) result in the entire military being put under the orders of Esklepios, #76 of the Bureaucrats.
Dundee's don't know the word for 'swamp'
This episode has Ramierez and Quentin practicing unarmed combat instead of being armed with wooden staves.

Hunters: 417 is beside himself again. In fact, there are 5 417's on the screen at the same time twice in this episode. And they're armed with flame throwers (so much more civilized than bullets, no?)

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), Ostrich Lizard mounts 'Gamils', 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids(Gorans now have neck fur and smaller horns, and aren't towing their blimps full of cargo), "Anomas' giant ants.

Dumb Stuff:
The Tamil village/clan is lead by "Scott", former hunter 41A-229, retired due to injury (lost arm). So, when did the Hunter's numbering system change?
Why doesn't the Tarmil leader catch malaria like all his men do? Not until he leaves for Mogonda does he get sick.
How were the Tamils able to put a locked gate onto the well without any of the Dundees noticing or hearing? Not even Quentin or Ramierez, both in perfect health, notice.
Lip synch is way off, and the "Gamil" run cycle is very sloppy.
How does cutting the rope holding the cuffs together cause the cuffs to pop open?
And the evil hunter turns good in the end. Awwwwwwww........

 

Ep 9: The Valley of the Thorn Pods

Ramierez takes Quentin to see Sehevie, the Jettitor Botonist, who lives in a valley of mutant plants. Ramierez gets eaten by a plant. The local villagers hate Sehevie. Quentin has to find him first to stop the mutant flytraps.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (passed knowledge), Lonzeley (passed knowledge) , Ilrick (passed knowledge), Sehevie (becomes mortal)

Introduced recurring elements: first time someone actually uses the word "Quickening", even though it's a faux-quickening.

Hunters: None this episode

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), 'Gavils' or 'Gavers' Ostrich Lizard mounts, 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids, "Anomas' giant ants, giant mutant mobile ambulatory flytrap plants, bee-like insects that eat the flytraps.

Dumb Stuff:
Quentin falls from a cliff and has to land in a bush because otherwise he'd die and have to heal and wake up.
Why did Ramierez throw Quentin the sword to slice free of the plants instead of first freeing himself?
OK, this brings us to the giant, mobile, moving, quasisentient predatory flytrap plants. Do I really need to explain everything that's wrong with this concept?
Why didn't Quentin throw his boomerang thing to free Ramierez?
"You have 48 hours." Well, since there are no clocks, why would villagers in a remote valley even use that expression?
Quentin doesn't recognize books? or a Library?
Quentin has the knowledge of history, but doesn't seem to have learned any of the lessons.
The airplane wreckage is full of kerosene? What kind of plane uses/used kerosene for fuel? One whose wreckage could survive 7 centuries?
Quentin figures out in seconds how to solve a problem that Sehevie has had weeks to work out.

Ep 10: Fallout

Ramierez takes Quentin to visit Promethus, Jettitor of Atomic Power. Kortan wants the power of the atom bomb as well. Promethus is tired of living in a cancer-wracked body and wants to end his existance, one way or the other--fulfill the Oath or face Kortan.

This is one of those stupid stories written by the PC/PTA/FHE crowd to slam kids over the head with a "Nuclear Weapons are DANGEROUS" message.

Jettitors: Ramierez, Magnus(dead), Stevenson(dead), Errol (?), Olak (passed knowledge), Lonzeley (passed knowledge) , Ilrick (passed knowledge), Sehevie (passed knowledge), Promethus (becomes mortal)

Introduced recurring elements: The Buzz in not ONLY the glowing gem. Quentin has to look at his belt to see that another immortal is near.

Hunters: only 417

New Life Forms: Hexapodal Dogs (like Gualt), 'Gavils' or 'Gavers' Ostrich Lizard mounts, 'Gorans' elephant cow hybrids, "Anomas' giant ants, giant mutant mobile ambulatory flytrap plants, bee-like insects that eat the flytraps, blue/green skinned web-handed humans who act like arab desert trader stereotypes, giant mutant cactus.

Dumb Stuff:
Why does Gualt have to run along side the Gavers? Couldn't Ramierez pick him up and carry him if they're in a hurry?
Why does Arak travel out to the desert, just to travel all the way back to Moganda, and then travel all the way back again?
Why does Promethus have radiation damage in the first place? Shouldn't his Immortal Healing take care of that?
How does a comet/meteor hitting Earth cause nuclear blasts?
Ramierez was walking though Nagasaki within days of the detonation? In that outfit? Um, how?
How does the base have electricity? Is there a generator/reactor there?
Feraz the spy/traitor hits the chief over the head with a bone club. Why not use his dagger to stab the chief?
The poison snake only attacks when ordered by the Chief. So why does it attack and poison (kill?) the spy?
Couldn't Kortan have learned about atomic weaponry from a book? You know... Raided a manufacturing facility or something?
How does Kortan bypass the 2-key simultaneous safety that's in every movie about firing nuclear missiles? And all the other safeguards like launch codes and guidance/targeting systems?
Quentin fires a second missile that is somehow faster than the fi

 

Highlander: THe Raven.
"Reborn" Amanda stumbles into a frame-up job, where bent cop(s) use her activities to cover up their own robberies and murders. The current detectives following her figure out that one of their collegues is responsible. The female partner dies trying to save Amanda, and the male kills the bent cop. Dead cop takes the blame for all of them. Good cop sees Amanda come back to life. When the boss cop tries to buy his silence with a promotion, good cop quits police force. Amanda tries to talk to him, but he walks away.
Notes: No Guest immortal of the Week, Amanda has bleached her hair white again. Introduces Amanda's friend (can't remember her name), Nick Wolfe.
Problems:
The whole "Raven" title thing makes absolutely no sense, and is not explained in the first 3 episodes (Nor, so I'm told, at any point later). This sets up another alternate Highlander universe loosely based on the TV series universe.
Good Cop "Wolfe" seems to have an extensive knowledge of mythology, but his interest/background in that field is never explained (at least, not in the first 3 episodes), nor is it mentioned again (that I'm aware of). Opening voice-over makes no sense
Wolfe's partner, the female cop, is a stereotype working woman with mommy issues. You know within 5 seconds that she is going to die at some point in the episode. Sadly, her husband and children are not killed with her.
Amanda has a friend who reminds me of Esmeralda, the mother-in-law from bewitched, only more annoying. Sadly, she is not killed.
First episode is about average, predictable TV program, but not really interesting or essential.
6/10

"Full Disclosure"
Wolfe interrupts a hit in an alley, and Amanda shows up to help him fight off the killers. The target dies, but Wolfe and Amanda get inough from his dieing words to work out some information on why he was killed. Wolfe refuses Amanda's help, and has to use other resources to get the same information. Wolfe gets the basic information about Immortals. GIotW is a hitman/contract killer who used Amasnda against her will to plant a bomb back in the 50's.
When GIotW threatens to kill Wolfe, Amanda goes after him. Quickening ensues.
Notes: flashback to Warsaw in the 50's. Introduces possible recurring character of computer hacker.
Problems: Amanda's reaction to the quickening effect is really, really lame and unconvincing. The shadows of the swordfighting projected on the building are from episode 1 of Highlander:The Gathering. "Dead" Amanda has her mouth open in the distant shots, and closed in the close-ups.
Essential if you want to watch more of the series, but not good.
6/10

"Bloodlines"
Wolfe is working for a private security company when a asniper takes a shot at his charge. He races up to the top of the building and shoots the sniper. Sniper falls 40+ stories and dies. But guess what? Yep. Predictable as ever, the sniper is an immortal with a grudge against the entire family line of the woman he shot at. Every generation, he kills the most promissing member of that family in revenge for the adopted son one of their ancestors killed. And, he was a friend of Amanda's. Amanda tries to make peace, but the two silly boys can't work it out, and have a prolonged duel that ends with a pane of glass providing a close shave.
Notes: flashback to the 1800s. We get to see what happens when there's a quickening, but no one to receive it.
Dumb stuff: OK, there's a lot this episode.
Wolfe does a shoddy job of covering his protectee. He barely works to get in between her and the sniper. Wolfe runs over to the building, and up 40 flights of stairs in less time than it takes the sniper to walk over to the door?
Wolfe holds his gun sideways during one confrontation. He should know better--it doesn't work as well. It's something stupid gangbangers or TV people came up with to try to look cool. As a cop, Wolfe would not do this. Second: Amanda uses a stungun on him while he's pointing a gun, looking for an excuse to fire. The stungun works by contracting muscles... You know, like a trigger finger

 

So, my final assessment boils down to: watch the first movie.
If you feel like it, watch the pilot and second 1/2 of season 1, all but the last 2 episodes of season 2, and season 3.
Then stop.

Do not watch ANYTHING else that has "Highlander" in it. Not even Braveheart. Just don't do it. No. NOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOooooohhhhhhhhhh.